Carrot Cupcakes Cream Cheese (Printable)
Moist, spiced carrot cupcakes with creamy frosting, ideal for gatherings and sweet treats.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Cupcakes
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
08 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
10 - 2/3 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
14 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
15 - 1/3 cup raisins (optional)
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
16 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
17 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
18 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
19 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
20 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
03 - In a large bowl, beat together granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
05 - Stir in grated carrots, and if using, nuts and raisins.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full.
07 - Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
09 - Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost generously with cream cheese frosting.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cream cheese frosting-to-cake ratio is practically perfect, generous enough that every bite gets that tangy sweetness
- These stay moist for days, which means youre not racing against time to eat them all before they dry out
02 -
- Cold cream cheese creates lumpy frosting that no amount of beating can fix, so plan ahead and set it out
- Overfilling the liners leads to mushroom-top cupcakes that bake onto the pan
03 -
- Grate your carrots by hand instead of buying pregrated ones, which are too dry and thick
- Let the frosted cupcakes set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving, which helps the frosting firm up slightly